Arabian Confederation (22nd Century and On)
The Confederation of States in the Arabian Peninsula (Arabic: اتحاد الدول في شبه الجزيرة العربية) also known as the Arabian Confederation or just Arabia is a country in the Arabian Peninsula formed from the former Saudi Arabia. Its political system loosely resembles that of the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Scandinavia and Yugoslavia where each political division consists of a republic or a principality. The President of the Confederation is considered the Head of State. Its current currency is the New Riyal. Its capital is Arabiapolis, formerly Jeddah. Military The military of Arabia is very unique, and adopts Swiss, Japanese, American and Dixie military doctrine. While Arabia does have a federal force, the homeland defense is an emphasized responbility of the governments of each Republic or Principality themselves according to the Confederation Constitution. Each Republic and Principality maintains a defense budget independant from the central government. Therefore, this totals the total personnel of what can be considered the Arabian military to be more than 7 million, officially making it the world's largest military if regarded as a single military force, while the federal forces number only around 800,000 personnel. In some republics, such as Najran, Riyadh, Tabuk and principalities such as Ard-Jamila, serving in the State Army is mandatory, and/or heavily encouraged. In republics or principalities were it is heavily encouraged, veterans enjoy free housing, healthcare and top-priority status in employment and education. In some republics and principalities, gun ownership by citizens is considered a right, similarly to the Second Amendment enjoyed by citizens of the United States, Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, New Guinea and considered a part of the local culture like in Yemen and Pakistan. Religion Right now, Islam forms the majority at 81.3%, while Christianity and Indian-based faiths such as Hinduism and Sikhism form the rest, a small Jewish minority exists. Of the Muslims, 64.3% are Sunni, 33.1% are Shiites, and the rest are non-denominational and Ahmadiyyahs. In some states, the Ahmadiyyah Movement are not considered Islam. In the famous court case Abdullah v. Ibn Farid, the Confederation Court ruled it constitutional for the Riyadh All-Muslim Board, headed by Imam Tamir Abdullah, a public institution meant to foster peaceful dialogue between Sunnis, Shiites, conservative and liberal Muslims, not to consider Yusuf ibn Farid, a Punjabi-speaking Ahmadiyyah, a Muslim. However, it ruled that in a case where Yusuf ibn Farid was denied employment (with the exception of a Sunni mosque) or education elsewhere, then it would be ruled unconstitutional. The Principality of Mecca, considered the Confederation's most conservative Muslim state, has so far, not spoken about the issue, and Ahmadiyyahs are allowed to make the hajj to Mecca. Of the Christians, while they are fairly spread in the Confederation's major cities such as Arabopolis and Riyadh, they constitute the majority in the Republic of Najran and a significant minority in the Republic of Madah in'Saleh. Most are descendants of Levantine Christians, mostly Greek Orthodox from Palestine and Syria and Greek Melkites from Syria and Lebanon. The Roman Catholic Church, Armenian Orthodox Church and Maronite Catholic Church are also largely practiced, where the former is the most practiced in the Armenian Autonomous Disrict and the latter forms the majority in the Saint Maron District, named Saint Maron - the namesake and founder of the Maronite Catholic Church. A small Jewish population exists, populating the Republics of Riyadh, Tabuk and Najran, numbering no more than 14,324 people. These were formed by Mizrahi Israelis and their descendants who had a desire to return to Arabia, and performed the yerida, also after having lost faith in the Israeli government following their loss to the Arab-Persian Coalition. These Jews are mostly descendants of Yemenite and Iraqi Jews. Thanks to their activity, this revived Judeo-Arabic. Though while they are allowed to follow Judaism, Ashkenazi Judaism is currently banned in the Confederation, as it is seen as a catalyst for the formation of the State of Israel. In addition, Jewish Arabians are not allowed to show any patriotism towards Israel, as Zionist symbols are currently banned in Arabia. As a result of the large influx of Indian settlers to Arabia, Hinduism and Sikhism are very widely practiced, in many of the republics and principalities inhabited by Indians and their descendants, such as the Principalities of Ard-Jamila, Shiraz, Zahid and Ibn Maharajah. Category:22nd Century and On